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  • Priyeta Chowdhury, Senior Executive Legal at Lanco on work at Corporate Bodies like Dell & Balaji Telefilms

    Priyeta Chowdhury, Senior Executive Legal at Lanco on work at Corporate Bodies like Dell & Balaji Telefilms

    Priyeta Chowhury graduated from M.S Ramaiah College of Law (Bangalore University) in 2012. Thereafter she worked as a Legal Administrative Associate at Dell International Services (Chennai) and at Balaji Telefilms Ltd. as Senior Executive-Legal. Currently, she works as Senior Executive-Legal at Lanco Infratech.

    In this interview, she talks about:

    • Law school experience
    • Work experience at Dell and Balaji
    • Appointment at Lanco Infratech

     

    Most of our readers are law students and young lawyers. How will you introduce yourself to them?

    Though I would prefer the day when I don’t need an introduction. But today I would like to introduce myself as a budding lawyer in the field of law or to be precise as an In-House counsel.

    My journey started in Kolkata, where my entire schooling and childhood was spent, After my completion of 12th in Commerce, and in-between all the hustle of Career decisions and determining which stream to go for, I somehow landed with the choice of studding law, Then the regular pre-law tuition classes for cracking any of the National Law schools entrance also came along. I was somehow unable to crack any of them though.

    So my last hope remained M.S Ramaiah College of Law were admissions were given on the basis of 12th Board Marks. And I somehow secured a place to be a part of the cult I belong today.

    And after my amazingly interesting 5 years of college I got opportunity to be a part of the world famous brand names in a very short span of time.

     

    priyeta-chowdhury-1How did you gravitate towards law? Why law and not engineering or medical studies?

    I call it a fate, being a daughter of an Engineer and also with a family history of government servants and moreover with a personal choice towards dramatics and art. I somehow landed with Law profession. It was my dad who suggested me the same and like my “parent’s obedient daughter” I thought it to be a good option among all the significant white collar jobs that were prevailing in the market.

    A reason to work for and the sheer power and the glittery gravity of the profession attracted me, though hardly there were people to guide me on this front as I have no family history of lawyers.

     

    First year of law school can be much challenging at times. What has been your experience?

    Agreed; but with a little personal twist, The first two years of law school decides about all the journey of next three years. My journey took off with the feeling of freedom and the power of the profession.

    Ramaiah was fun, sort of a celluloid movie that lasted for 5 years, friends, rivals, college regulations, teachers and seniors and all the law college legacy and rules.

    But among all these I found the lawyer Priyeta, the choice to pursue In-house opportunities; the choices of right internships and finally the choice of right job, which gave me the first step towards my dream carrier.

     

    How would you describe your time at M.S Ramaiah College of Law (Bangalore University)? What are the co-curricular activities you took part in?

    As earlier mentioned Ramaiah was like a celluloid movie which lasted for 5 years, I enjoyed my college life thoroughly, I was part of the Cultural Committee and also the sports club of my college, Being the “Miss Fresher” of my batch and part of Cultural committee member I took part in few of the inter college dance fests along with some inter college sports meets.

     

    What kind of internships did you do while you were a student? Any remarkable experiences during your internships that shaped your career choices later?

    I started my internship in 2nd year of my college with a law firm in Kolkata, the work was good, primarily research work and drafting, along with the opportunities to visit courts. The next few internships were with High Court advocates in the fields of Arbitration and Civil to understand the different facets and integrities of the Court culture, And then final internship with the corporate in-house team, that is Wipro Bangalore. The versatility of my internship gave me an insight as to which field of law I would like to pursue in future. As everyone I was also confused in the beginning of the law school as to which stream of law I shall chose,the major tiff was in between litigation practice and corporate practice. And then Law firms or In-House.

    But after my final internship with Wipro Bangalore I decided as to which side of the table I would prefer. Wipro also presented me with an opportunity to witness projects on Merger and Acquisition which fired my interest towards In-House practice.

     

    What do you have to say about mooting at law school and legal writing for journals? Are these helpful even after the student graduates?

    Personally I have no clue, how much mooting and legal writing helps us professionally. As I have never had much of keen interest on the same. In my entire law school I have attended only two moots out which one was compulsory. A lot of my friends showed a generous interest towards the moots but I somehow never got attracted towards it. On the contrary I focused on seminars and Discussions. It helped me to shape up my mind and also gave an insight about social legal issues and the thought process of our legal luminaries.

     

    Did you find that your law school education had prepared you sufficiently for the many tasks you were required to execute during your internships and later at your job?

    To be frank and honest law school knowledge and practical work exposure has hell and haven difference ,but yes I cannot completely deny the fact that knowledge of the law subjects are one of the essential keys to our profession. Thus I feel bookish knowledge along with the exposure’s during internships shapes ones future in our fraternity.

     

    After graduation, you joined Dell as Legal Administrative Associate. How did you secure your appointment? How would you describe your experience working there? What kind of challenges did you faced during this job?

    DELL INTERNATINNAL SERVICES (Chennai) was a dream come true for me, without any backing of National law school, clearing 8 rounds of interview in a span of 3 months was a challenge. Though I faced the challenge quite well, a little rigorous study over the company and its policies along with general legal knowledge, I cloud secure my position in the organisation. As a fresher the companies look into your drive to learn about the company and its business and your go-getter attitude to handle difficult corporate situations individually.

     

    Thereafter, you left Dell and had joined Balaji Telefilms Ltd. as Senior Executive Legal. What prompted this switchover? How did the appointment take place?

    After my span in Dell Chennai, I switched to Balaji Telefilms Limited Bombay. The professional networking sites helped me a lot. Coming from an IT company, which shaped my basics; Media was all together was and different industry, a different work culture. But as I had a very keen interest to have a flavour of the Media industry and was also getting an escape from Chennai, thus I made the choice. Though my choice couldn’t hold my interest that well. Alsocoping up with the demands of the fastest and expensive city of India for too long seemed difficult to me.

     

    Would you say that the work environment at Balaji Telefilms was significantly different from Dell?

    I completely agree with the difference of work culture in an U.S MNC and an Indian Company, that too especially a small production house. There’s a lot of difference in the transaction value and the policies of the companies. MNC’s are more of policy driven organisation whereas Small Indian companies are Individual driven.

     

    Currently, you are working as Senior Executive Legal at Lanco. What prompted you to make this choice and what made this shift possible? How has been your experience at Lanco so far?

    After Bombay, the next destination was Delhi, “Lawyers Paradise”. The city welcomed me along with my friends and a position in Lanco Infratech Limited. Again professional networking sites along with my knowledge and positive attitude towards exploring a new industry secured me the position in the infrastructure company.

    And my journey in Lanco has been remarkable; Amazing Seniors with a positive attitude of imparting the industry specific knowledge helped me to grow professionally. The company has given me exposure towards Litigations, Project Finance, Asset sale transactions and most importantly CDR process. CDR is a lifetime opportunity for an In-House Counsel to experience and along with the guidance of my seniors I handle the same.

     

    How different is the working environment of these three companies? How would you describe your experience?

    In my short span of career I have worked in three different Industries, brand name and cities, The work culture of all the three are quite different from each other as Dell being an U.S based MNC, Balaji Telefilms was an Indian production house and Lanco being an Indian MNC.

    But with all the experience till now I prefer to work for a policy driven organisation, where work culture is friendly and more sophisticated, and a lot of importance to the Ideas and innovations are given, thinking on one’s own feet is encouraged. And in the end the organisational culture inspires one to loyalty towards the organisation.

     

    What does your current work profile at Lanco consists of? How is a typical workday like?

    Being an In-house counsel for an infrastructure Company, my work profile has diverse work schedule. It includes Litigations, Transactions related to sale of Assets, Restructuring of Finances and finally CDR.

    My usual day at work start at 9 in the morning with a cup of tea, then loads of mails and lots of work for the entire day and at times the day prolongs till midnight as per the demands of the transaction. But working in the organisation is fun and the exposure that I gain with each transaction is remarkable.

     

    Does Lanco take interns? What is the process for same?

    We do take interns. The most important qualities that we look for in an intern is that he/she should be a leader, problem-solver, self-motivated and disciplined. A good knowledge of law is something that can be acquired over a period of time.

    An intern/College Committee shall get in touch with our Legal team or our HR team and send us an email along with a cover letter specifying the duration of the internship for the candidate that is being sought for. We encourage the applications at least 3-4 months in advance.

     

    Many people believe that working as an in-house counsel affords more work-life balance and is less demanding. What is your take on this?

    I personally feel that there is hardly much of difference in the work culture, yes though I have fix office hours. I do have late sittings, though may be its transaction specific but I do the same work as my external counsel would do. And to guide any external counsel I shall be well versed with the transaction first. And finally as I am the first point of contact for any Legal issues in my organisation I shall always be well aware about all the legal happening in my organisation.

     

    Lastly, what would be your message for all the law students reading this?

    The last few lines I would like to tell to my fellow friends who are yet to enter the fraternity, is please enjoy your college life which in our college days we used to call “Honeymoon Period”, but just maintain a balance with your internships and Studies as only fun would not fetch us what we have spent five years for.

    There is a lot of opportunities in the market for the right person with right attitude towards work. Learning is a continuous process and in our profession specifically learning never stops. So whatever it takes learn from all the rights and wrongs you do in your life.

  • Esha Chakravarty Rathod, Senior Manager-Legal at UPL Ltd. on leaving law firm and work of an in-house counsel

    Esha Chakravarty Rathod, Senior Manager-Legal at UPL Ltd. on leaving law firm and work of an in-house counsel

    Esha Chakravarty Rathod is currently a Senior Manager-Legal at UPL Ltd. a multinational Agro-chemical company. She graduated from University of Mumbai in 2008, and had thereafter worked in multiple law firms and also as in-house counsels of two large corporate houses.

    In this interview she tell us about:

    • Building up an illustrious career in corporate law
    • Work as an Associate at major law firms
    • Leaving law firms and joining as an in-house counsel

     

    Given that most of our readers belong to legal fraternity, how would you introduce yourself to them?

    Well, by way of an introduction, I am corporate lawyer, working in the corporate-commercial domain since the past seven (7) years, alternating between law firms and in-house roles. I have been born and bought up in Mumbai.  I completed my education, including the law degree from institutions affiliated to the Maharashtra Board and subsequently to the Mumbai University.  I took up science during my junior college year and subsequently enrolled for a five years law course in a college affiliated with the Mumbai University. I qualified as a lawyer in the year 2008 and enrolled with the Bar Council of Maharashtra and Goa in the same year.  During my undergraduate year, I had signed up articles in the year 2005 for my solicitor’s examination and started working as an articled clerk in a corporate law firm.  Therefore, right from the start of my professional life, I have always worked in non-lit general corporate-commercial domain!

     

    Legal studies are still only a backup option for quite a lot of students. What motivated you to choose law as a career?

    I understand that legal studies are still a backup option for a lot of students.  This, I believe, is highly unfortunate. Law, as a profession, is wrongly maligned and looked down upon because of certain misplaced conceptions. I would attribute this to a lack of professional counselling at the right age when students make important career decisions. Many of my friends in the non-legal streams regret not pursuing law when they look at the career graph of corporate lawyers and compare it with their respective professional growth. Nevertheless, it is not that I was aware of the corporate law domain when I decided to pursue law.  On the contrary, I was very keen to appear for the civil service exams after my graduation.  Right from the time when I was in class 5, I used to read Competition Success Review and other publications to understand the criteria’s necessary to clear the IAS examination. After reading series of interview of successful IAS candidates, I concluded that studying law would help me prepare for my preliminary IAS examination.  The real motivation to study law was the keen desire to appear for the IAS exams.  However, my thought process from the professional standpoint changed tremendously during my undergraduate years.  I realized I was not cut out for the bureaucratic role and chose to pursue corporate law instead.

     

    What were your areas of interest during your graduation? How did you go about developing expertise and knowledge in these areas?

    During the five years law course, we were taught a large number of law subjects out of which I enjoyed studying commercial and company laws the most.  I love reading and I am a voracious reader.  I firmly believe that the thumb rule to being a successful lawyer is that you have to love reading! If you do not like reading, you are not cut out for this profession! As my undergraduate years coincided with my article-ship, I used a lot of my article-ship time reading up commentaries on corporate and commercial laws.  I also use to conduct a lot of research on various corporate and commercial law issues by using the internet resources and legal websites like Manupatra and Legal Pundits on the basis of the assignments allotted to me during my article ship years.  My knowledge in the drafting of commercial contracts across various verticals and the various nuances associated with the corporate commercial negotiations started developing right from the time of my article ship years prior to graduation.  I learnt the application of law during this phase and I strongly believe that nothing substitutes the knowledge gained in practical experience.  You will gain real knowledge and expertise only when you start working on transactions and apply your reading to the challenges faced while working on such transactions.  This was the case with me.

     

    As a law student which activities did you participate in?  Tell us about your law school journey from the 1st year till your final year. Did you have any guidance on how to go about your academics, co-curricular activities and internships?

    I was very active during the first two years of my law college. I participated in a lot of inter-college debates and group discussions and won several prizes. I also participated in a lot of moots and other competitions.  It was a very good experience indeed!  Frankly, there was hardly any guidance and a lot of it was self learning!  We were just the second batch of my law college and hence we did not really have any seniors to look up to.  Therefore, we applied all possible permutations and combinations and relied on our own instincts and research rather than seeking external help!  But this was indeed a blessing in disguise as we went out of our way to set up various committees and putting things in place.  I was very active in all the committee work and it helped me gain a lot of confidence that I could apply to my professional life at a later stage.

     

    What kind of internships did you do while you were a student? Any remarkable experiences during your internships that shaped your career choices later? When did you join DPA and how was your experience at DPA?

    During the second year of my law school, I worked with a research based website, namely Legal Pundits.  This was a relatively short stint as I worked with Legal Pundits only for four months.  Nevertheless, it was a very fruitful experience as I worked in a professional set up for the first time.  After my stint with legal pundits, I got an opportunity to meet a senior counsel, Mr. Naveen Parekh.  He explained to me the pros and cones of litigation versus corporate law practice. I also happen to meet a couple of solicitors during that phase. They helped me figure out the possible career options. However, getting an article ship was extremely difficult.

    After I left Legal Pundits, I was clear that I wanted to join a corporate law firm and pursue article ship. However, I did not have any backing or contacts that could help me get into a law firm at that stage. My college did not have any active placement committee that could help me with the internship application.  I went for a large number of walk-in interviews and literally went door to door dropping resumes in several law firms for an entire week along with a friend. I finally got a call for an interview from DPA.  It was started by Ms. Deval Patel, who was a partner at one of the oldest law firm, Crawford Bailey & Co.  I got selected in DPA and got to sign my articles after six months of joining DPA. DPA was a non-lit corporate law firm. I worked there for around 3 years, out of which 2 years coincided with my 4th and 5th year of graduation and one year post qualification as an advocate.  I learnt the basics of corporate/commercial transactions at DPA.  I got the opportunity to work on great variety of matters.  This is the best advantage of working for a small set up. You are given a lot of responsibilities right from the early years! It helps you grow tremendously! I worked for a large variety of clients across various industries including, but not limited to pharmaceutical, agro-chemical, power projects, shipping corporations, franchising, real estate etc. I worked on private equity transactions as well. I participated in negotiations and picked up a lot of negotiating skills while working in DPA.  DPA did strengthen the root of my knowledge base.

     

    What do you feel about the perception that students of certain ‘elite’ NLU’s have a much easier time in kick-starting their career as compared to law students from other colleges? Is this true at all?

    Yes I do agree with this perception.  This perception is not entirely misplaced.  In fact, the other college students are actively discriminated against in the Mumbai Law firms in terms of pay packages and growth prospects during the initial years.  We sarcastically referred ourselves as belonging to schedule caste and the ‘elite NLU’ students as belonging to the Brahmin community in the new found caste system of the legal fraternity.  There is a substantial difference in the pre-placement offer packages of an NLU pass out and other college pass out.  In fact, at times, within the same law firm, a 5 year experienced associate is paid lower than a fresher from NLU. This is unfortunate, to say the least.  Nevertheless, this discrimination does not hold ground in the long run and at the end of the day only your calibre counts when your career advances to the next level. To conclude, NLU kids do get a great launch pad, however, in the long run, it is only your legal acumen that helps you achieve a steady professional growth.

     

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    You left DPA and had joined Majmudar & Partners.  What led to this shift? How was your experience working there?

    Majmudar & Partner was a logical extension of DPA in terms of my career growth. I felt that I learnt what I could in DPA and had to move out in order to gain better exposure. I therefore applied in Majmudar & Partners and joined Majmudar in the year 2010. At Majmudar , I primarily worked with Mr. Neerav Merchant, who handled general corporate, real estate and litigation. As I came from a small proprietorship background, it was a task to adjust to the rigours and discipline of Majmudar in the first year.  I must admit that I owe a lot to Majmudar in terms of my professional growth and discipline.  The firm adhered to very strict principles in terms of quality and speed of response, accuracy of advice and general professional nuances. I inculcated all these values while working for Majmudar.  I worked on a lot of real estate transactions as well and developed the confidence of running the matter on my own.  It was indeed a very good experience and I believe that if you inculcate disciple in your initial years, it helps you tremendously all throughout your professional life. This is the biggest lesson that Majmudar has taught me.

     

    You thereafter left Majumdar & Partners to start working at Aegis Ltd (Essar Group) as Legal Manager. What prompted you to keep changing your job so frequently? What does Aegis do and what was the nature of your work there?

    I worked with Majmudar for 3 years. While working for Majmudar I use to come across various in-house legal counsels. At times, I failed to understand the rationale behind their decisions as it appeared legally unsound. However, I realized that their decision was driven by commercial considerations.  You cannot be a good corporate lawyer until and unless you are driven by sound commercial reasoning.  I realized that in order to develop a well rounded knowledge of the corporate/commercial principles, it was imperative to gain experience from in-house perspective.  I therefore applied and got into Aegis Ltd., which is an ITES arm of Essar Group.  Aegis is a multinational corporation and it handles back-office operations globally. I joined Aegis Ltd., as Manger-Legal to handle the international corporate-commercial profile.  While working for Aegis, I was assigned the UK and South African subsidiaries.  I handled all the legal issues arising out of those two jurisdictions.  It was a brilliant learning experience as I led and closed several negotiations and even got the opportunity to travel abroad for the purpose of negotiations with some of the top ranking UK law firms.  It helped me understand the commercial rationale behind various decisions. In-house role is a different ball game all together and I picked up the finer nuances of it.

     

    You’ve recently joined UPL Limited, a multinational agro chemical company as Senior Manager-Legal. How did the switch from Aegis Ltd. take place? Did you get an offer or did you apply for UPL Ltd.?

    I got a call from a consultant regarding a potential opening at UPL.  I researched about the company and found the profile very interesting. I therefore went for the interviews and got selected for the position of Senior-Manger-Legal.  It was a logical progression for my career. UPL is a highly reputed agro-chemical company with extensive operations nationally and internationally. It has done a lot of acquisitions in the past several years.

     

    What does your current work profile at UPL Ltd. consists of? How is a typical workday like?

    I am required to assist the general counsel in all his matters. The profile is very broad based. It entails M&A, commercial contracts and general corporate matters. A typical day would consist of working on different kind of matters. I may work on one M&A transaction and thereafter get into reviewing and negotiating commercial contracts and thereafter research on general corporate issues. It varies from day to day and is highly interesting!

     

    Many lawyers would say that the actual learning takes place in the years of practice. How far would you say it is true? What was the case in your situation?

    As stated above, there is no substitute to practical experience. You will not learn the application of law until and unless you come across the real practical challenges. As stated above, I attribute my knowledge to my practical experience thus far!

     

    Lastly, what would be your parting message for our readers?

    Hard work and patience is the key to being a good professional in any stream. As far as legal profession is concerned, those attributes become indispensible. If you aren’t patient and hardworking, please do not think of taking up this profession!  There is no short cut to success and you will have to burn your midnight oil. In law, you are married to your profession, literally and figuratively!  Be prepared to give the same kind of commitment if you really want to make it work for yourself!  Lastly, learn to manage stress! It is highly important that you do not allow the matters to stress you out! You have to be detached and keep your calm in order to manage your stress levels as transactions can be very taxing at times! To conclude, I feel that patience, hard work, commitment and stress management is the key to being a successful legal professional.

  • Vipin Puran Singh, Circle Legal Head of Tata Teleservices on appointment and work

    Vipin Puran Singh, Circle Legal Head of Tata Teleservices on appointment and work

    Vipin Puran Singh graduated from National Law Institute University in 2010. He has recently joined Tata Teleservices Ltd. as Circle Legal Head (MP-CG region). This in itself is a huge achievement at his age, given that his counterparts are having at least 16 to 17 years more experience than him. Prior to Tata, he has worked with different organizations including Mahindra & Mahindra and Viom Network Ltd.(Tata Group). Apart from this, he has also been associated with many educational institutes.

    In this interview, he talks about:

    • Importance of academics and internships
    • His journey from Legal Consultant to Circle Legal Head at Tata Teleservices Ltd.
    • Recruitment process at Tata Teleservices Ltd. for Circle Legal Head

     

    Given that most of our readers belong to legal fraternity, how would you introduce yourself to them?

    Dear Readers and the Super Lawyer team thank you so much for providing me with this opportunity to share my thoughts & experience. My journey as a Lawyer started from 2010 when I graduated from National Law Institute University –Bhopal. Presently I hold position of Circle Legal Head at Tata Teleservices Ltd (Docomo). My previous work associations were with Mahindra & Mahindra, Viom Networks Ltd (Tata Group) & office of Asst. Solicitor General of India.

    Apart from being professional works, I take time out for community/ social work with Utho-Jago (NGO). My leisure time is dedicated to my family and friends who I consider my life’s strongest pillars. It had been a great journey so far and I feel there is a lot to come to make it far more interesting, meaningful and worth as individual & professional.

     

    How did you gravitate towards law? Why law and not engineering or medical studies?

    I am answering this question from my entrance exam days. Well this is most probable question indeed an interesting one to answer. Decision to pursue law, was one of the most difficult decision of that time. During my last few days of school, I had decided to do engineering like every maths-science student plan to do.  To be modest, pursuing  law was my dad’s advice, he always used to discuss about Law Universities  like NLS, NALSAR and NLIU but then, I could not imagine anything else but boring lawyers, Court’s Buildings and life time obligation of reading and studying. So, I did not take any interest in it until the day I read an article in newspaper regarding 100% placement and beautiful Library of NLIU!!! It struck my eyes! I did R&D on these universities and asked few of my seniors and the response was overwhelming. So here I am giving an interview as a Lawyer.

     

    As a law student which activities did you participate in?  Tell us about your law school journey from the 1st year till your final year. Did you have any guidance on how to go about your academics, co-curricular activities and internships?

    Five years at law school are the most valuable years of life for every law student for the purpose of personal and professional development; it makes you a mature professional from a immature teenager. Like every law student, my journey of five years at law school was very topsy-turvy and consist of highs and lows, friendship, love, drama, emotion everything you call feeling   If I start from my first year, it was the most difficult year of my law school life, I have studied from M.P Board where seldom you find English speaking friends even teachers never interacts in English and then I reached to law school where everyone was so fluent with their language and speaking skills. To be honest I used to be very scared of public speaking and I did not like giving  presentations before the class but this is what Law School teaches you by putting you in to the situation where either you will drown or you will learn to swim an survive. And I had no choice but to improve myself and overcome the weakness. It took me two years to come to the so called main stream!

    Where I can consider myself confident enough to handle the law school pressure. I was the students who have gone through every kind of excitement of law school from Repeats, Re-repeats and debarring from exams due to short of attendance. I have enjoyed my law school life at uttermost and have no regrets because today I am doing well in my own way. My advice to every law student that there is no harm in bunking the classes or may be exams because these would be the moments you would be cherishing for lifetime not your class room lectures. I was also involved in many co-curricular activities, I was the General Secretary of Environmental Research centre at NLIU, which has conducted National and International Environmental meets, Also made a documentary on global warming, I used to be amongst the few dancers of college. So my suggestion to aspiring lawyers is make the most of your law school days to groom themselves  and never give up to your past and do everything at your best from legal studies to loving your girlfriend. Face the current standing being head strong and don’t miss the fun of being a law student, that life never comes back live it every moment.

     

    What kind of internships did you do while you were a student? Any remarkable experiences during your internships that shaped your career choices later?

    Internships are the most important part of our curriculum,  I was always focused on my internships; I had got an opportunity to work with good organisations, law firms and corporate like Industrial Finance Corporation of India (IFCI), Minerals and Metals Trade Corporation(MMTC), Bharti –Airtel , M.V. Kini and Co.and few NGOs. My advice to every law student is that last two and half  years of internship works for you in placements because recruiter is always interested in your last 2 years of intern/work and first two and half years interns/trainings should be at places where you wish to visit (trust me!).  My most remarkable internship was with IFCI Ltd. I had worked with them for almost 3 months, where I had really learned the meaning of responsibility you possess being a legal advisor of the company, which relies on your opinions and decision, which would be of rupees more than thousands of Corers and Yes!! That is the reason you draw hefty salaries.

    All my internships had taught me something or the other but one thing I suppose I have learnt is to be honest and professional with your organisation and clients. It is the most important thing in this profession. My advice to every law student that do anything you wish to do in college life but be diligent and fair while going through internships because your work and appearance reflects your college reputation and your casual approach towards work may close the doors for your other batch-mates, juniors and for your university. Be passionate to work while going through internships which will open the doors for you in future and remember it’s a small world whose reference may take you to heights or land you in trouble.

     

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    Did you find that your law school education had prepared you sufficiently for the many tasks you were required to execute during your internships and later at your job?

    Absolutely yes! Law school taught me many things from my intellectual skills to appearance. Researching and drafting was the most imperative skills which made my internships successful. When I say successful, that means I had come up with desired result which was expected from me during all the internships, secondly law school developed and polished my presentation skills, a prerequisite for any internship because at the end you are always required to justify internship and there your presentation skills works for you, I have always managed to present more than I worked because that’s the lesson I learned from law school studies, present anything at its best!!  One of the most important skill which, later on became a key for my success was drafting skills, from any mail communication to any legal notice reply or any litigation document, all you need, is perfect drafting of matter/issues. I think, its one area, where you always have a scope of improving and I am still working on it!

     

    You practiced for one year before joining Tata Tele Services Ltd., Bhopal. What made you to choose litigation and what prompted you to leave it?

    Well a bit painful question Corporate was never my dream though I am proud to be associated with Tata Group, I have started my from the office of Asst. Solicitor General of India, who was father of my senior and gave me this opportunity to work in his office. I have practiced almost one year, learned many finest arts of being an advocate and started practicing alone with two offices at Bhopal and Indore. But my experience as private practitioner had very mixed feedback it appeared to me – that weightage in our profession is not given to learning and knowledge alone but more to the number of years of practice. So I thought its wise enough to move on something which can justify my learning, experience and intellect hence I quit litigation. And I am happy very happy with my decision of making my career in corporate as the learning here has no limits.

     

    After that, you left TTSL and had worked with VIOM Network Ltd (Tata group) & Mahindra & Mahindra Financial Services Ltd. What prompted you to keep changing your job very frequently?

    I have worked with TTSL as a legal Consultant and started my first in-house corporate job with VIOM Networks, which is an Passive Telecom infra company of Tata Group as a circle legal executive which was comparatively a very small position but everyone was impressed with my work and got appreciation from everyone, all credit for appreciation goes to my boss Mr. Prashant Chauhan who happened to be my immediate senior at NLIU, I have learned many tactics on how to manage work, people and pressures in Corporate where you are suppose to deliver the work within a blink of eye.  At same time I have started getting call from other corporate houses and one fine day I got a call from Mahindra, though there was no specific reason to choose Mahindra over any other company except change in monotonous work. Best part of private corporate sector is that you can explore many opportunities, if you have guts to prove yourself to other company that if they don’t choose you it would be their mistake.

     

    vipin-singh-2You’ve recently joined TTSL as Circle Legal Head (MP-CG region). How did the switch from Mahindra take place?

    From Mahindra to Tata as legal Head was the most dramatic switch! Mahindra never wanted to leave me and I feel proud that my superiors were so much happy with my work, but I could not bear to leave the opportunity which was knocking my door and I grabbed it, In the age of 27 years, it was really a gigantic opportunity for any law graduate, my every counterpart -legal heads of other states in Tata are approximately 16 to 17 years more experienced than me , though it is very challenging because when you work on higher position you have very few people whom you can seek help and you are suppose to be ready with instant legal opinion in any critical situation. Before joining TATA as legal Head, I had gone through many rounds and interviewed very comprehensively, I had been asked and interviewed on various parameters which were mainly including of H.R rounds then legal rounds and finally intense Business rounds.

    Oh my god! That business round digged me to extreme. Sharing few questions with you like, How your presence can improve the business of company? (My thought was, am I supposed to be your marketing head?). When law expressly barred to carry out business at any place how would provide way to do business without breaking laws? (Now what is that?), well well! but after all I am a lawyer! How can I fail to impress you with my prompt answers! and yes today I am Circle Legal Head !

     

    Many young lawyers at corporate firms complain about the work being too exhausting, and that maintaining a work-life balance is just not possible. Could you share any advice on this?

    Generally every corporate sector’s official working hours are 8-Hrs 8.5- Hrs, and there could be no work which cannot be finished in specified timing, if we work diligently (may not apply to law firms) and every work is not meant to be finished in one day. I follow very unique strategy; I always streamline my work in different parameters like a work which can be completed on next working day. We should not sit back in office to finish that task, because remember one thing, work in corporate sector is never ending process and that is what you are being paid for. I never stretch my team to work after official hours, if something can be done on next working day it should be done accordingly.  Always keep one thing in mind, we work to make our life prosperous and if we fail to take out time for family and friends, our exhaustive working is of no use. Always try to prioritize work according to its timeline and work accordingly, once in a week if you are sitting late in office, it is justifiable but if you are sitting back in office every day after working hours than it is not work pressure it is a failure of your managerial skills.

     

    If you could re-live your 5 years in Law school, is there something you would do differently?

    Well, there could be hundreds of things which I would want to do! But I think whatever I did in those five years was my conscious decisions or decisions I made for myself after knowing the aftermaths of that situations. As I said earlier also, I have no regrets!

     

    Where do you see yourself five years from now?

    That’s a tough one, though everyone has aspiration so do I. Down the line five years I see myself more experienced and professional law personnel. I am confident that where ever I would be working I will grow with my Organization and would try to set new benchmark for aspiring lawyers.

     

    Lastly, what would be your message for our readers?

    My Message to aspiring law graduate is to live law school life fullest Learn! Learn! Learn. Learn to the extent that it becomes your habit, your routine and then your necessity. If we can do so world is all yours nothing can stop you from growing. I try my best to support aspiring graduates and I would say – If you think I can add some value in your learning I am just a call away.

     

    The views expressed on this site/article/interview are my own and not those of Tata Teleservices – Vipin Singh

  • Niyati Jigyasi on bagging a job from Lakshmikumaran & Sridharan

    Niyati Jigyasi on bagging a job from Lakshmikumaran & Sridharan

    Niyati Jigyasi is a graduate from National Law Institute University, Bhopal (Batch of 2014). Her diligence paid off when she received a job offer from Lakshmikumaran & Sridharan (LKS) in her 5th year of law school. Currently, she is working as an Associate there. We asked her to share her experiences and strategies she used over the years.

    In this interview, Niyati talks about:

    • Trimester system at NLIU
    • Importance of Internships and other co-curricular activities
    • Preparing for job interviews and securing a job at LKS

     

    Tell us about your pre-college life as well as educational background. Why did you decide to study law?

    My decision to pursue law is a result of my conversations with my Grandfather who himself was a law graduate. He is one of the main reasons I choose law.

    Being a commerce student, law appeared to me as the best career option. I started preparing for CLAT since 12th itself but was able to clear it only in my 2nd attempt and  was proud to be a part of India’s premier law institute National Law Institute University, Bhopal.

     

    niyati-j-1How was your first year of law school?

    It definitely has an impact on your coming years but according to me it definitely does not determine your coming four years. Every year in law school has its own importance and each year teaches you how can you improve your performance in the next year.

    I’ll say 1st year of college not just in law school but in every field can be a bit challenging for every student. Adjusting in new city, hostel, eating mess food, completely new subjects etc seems to be a bit challenging but eventually you get adjusted in the environment.

    For me, first year was one of the best years of my college life. Probably, because that was the only year when I was a hosteller. I had full on hostel masti in my 1st year and it set the tone for the fun filled rest of 4 years.

     

    One can find it difficult to manage continuous evaluation through trimester exams, projects, submissions, etc. in a law school. How did you manage your studies?

    In trimester system managing studies along with other co-curricular activities seems a bit a difficult in starting but within 2-3 trimesters you get used to the routine and its no more difficult. Every student comes out with his/her own way to manage the studies in the trimester system.

    I tried to make the maximum use of the first month of the trimester which used to be comparatively free. I also tried by best to complete my submissions and presentations on time so that I don’t have to rush during the time of exams to make by presentations.

     

    How much time does it take to manage academics properly in a law school like NLIU, especially in light of the trimester system?

    First year is a pretty good time to get a fair idea about the trimester system & decide the way one wants to approach the studies in the trimester system. In a law school there are a lot of co curricular activities going on round the year so one needs to plan in a manner that he/she can manage academics along with other activities. This can be a bit hectic at times, but taking part in co curricular activities is also equally important. I remember the trimesters when I took some moots, I was either working for moots or was studying for exams or submissions. But that was also a good experience. Managing studies along with other activities in a trimester system teaches you a lot.

     

    How would you describe your time at NLIU-Bhopal? What are the co-curricular activities you took part at NLIU?

    Being from Bhopal & getting NLIU, Bhopal through CLAT was one the best thing that could have happened. I had a great time at NLIU, Bhopal. These 5 years have transformed me from a law aspirant to a law student and now an Advocate finally. NLIU has helped me to fulfil my dream of being an Advocate. These 5 years have taught me a lot and if I start discussing each of those things it will be a long list. NLIU, Bhopal gave me friends for life, I’ll cherish each and every moment spent at this place.

    I took part as a Researcher in three moots, was a member of Managerial Board of NLIU Law Review since its inception and worked a lot to get the Law Review issues published. I was also a part of CARES-the environment cell of our college for a short span of time. As a member of CARES I edited the 1st NLIU Environment Newsletter which was released eve of Inter College Environment Meet organized by CARES.I was also the co-ordinator for getting this Newsletter published. I also participated in 2-3 essay writing competitions, paper presentation and got a paper published in one of the e-journals.

     

    Which internships that you have pursued will you consider to be right at the top and why? Tell us about some interesting internship experiences.

    My internship experience at Phoenix Legal, Delhi and at FICCI, Delhi are the best. The internship at Phoenix Legal was the best law firm internship experience I had. The variety of work which was given to me, the way the seniors treated me in that organization and the way my work was appreciated made my internship at Phoenix Legal right at the top. The internship at FICCI was altogether a different experience. The work at FICCI was more of comparative analysis of Indian laws and foreign laws based on which FICCI had to take a stand as to whether the Indian law is correct or not and what amendment is required to made to make it the more beneficial or how beneficial the amendment proposed is. The kind of work I did at FICCI made it one of the best internships.

    At one of my internships I was given a chance to interact with the client directly in a client meeting regarding the case I was working on with the senior. Obviously the questions which I am going to ask to the client were discussed thoroughly before the meeting, but the experience to question the client about the case and a senior sitting next to you quietly, speaking only when client is not able to understand your question or when you are going wrong is an amazing experience that too being just an intern.

    Also once when I was researching on an issue and internet and books were not able to solve that issue completely I was asked my senior to go and meet the officers in the Ministry to solve the issue. The interaction with the officers in ministry and the trust that the seniors at the firm showed on me by sending me alone to talk to the officers was also a great experience.

     

    What are the skills you learned from internships? How did you ensure that you get noticed during internships for the work you do?

    Internships helped me to enhance my research skills and gave me a fair idea as to the work life after law school. It helps you to decide the place where you want to see yourself in future. Internships taught me that its ok if you don’t know a particular law, but having an ability to learn & apply that law to the given case in the limited time you have is what is required.

    According to me, only good work can make you get noticed during internships and nothing else. If you work hard and do your work on time, you will definitely get noticed at internships. I always made sure to complete the work given to me on time without compromising on the quality. Giving quality work on time is the mantra to get notice at the internships according to me.

     

    You have participated in various moot court competitions. Do you think mooting is beneficial for Law students or is it just to make your CV look fancy?

    According to me Mooting is very beneficial for Law Students. Mooting gives you a chance to do in depth research on a specific issue. It enhances your research skills, your speaking abilities, it teaches you to think from your opponents’ side also, it teaches you to work & coordinate with others as a team. I’ll say a law student should atleast once do Mooting in the law school, its a really a good experience. No doubt it looks good in CV and adds value to your CV, but it is definitely not just a line item to add to your CV, it is very beneficial for a law student.

     

    What brought you towards Tax Law?

    When we came to know that L&S is going to come to our campus I started studying indirect tax and I realised that tax is also not a bad option, I can give it a try. L&S also organized Lecture series at our campus before the recruitment, these lecture series cleared all my doubts about choosing tax law as a career option. Before this I never thought about going into tax law. And I can say today that I took a right decision.

     

    You secured a job at Lakshmikumaran & Sridharan (LKS) in your 5th year of law school. How did you go about achieving this?

    We were told that for any interview you need to know each and every word which you have written in your CV. So I made sure that I knew everything written in my CV. Apart from CV I studied the basics of the important subjects like contracts, sale of goods, companies, property law etc. And I studied the basics of tax laws specifically for L&S interview. For L&S interview I also studied all that was discussed in the lecture series properly.

     

    How many times did you intern at LKS before you bagged the job offer? Please tell us about the recruitment application process at LKS?

    I have never interned at L&S before. I was recruited through campus recruitments. The recruitment process at our college involved sending our CV to Placement Committee.  Students were shortlisted on the basis of CV and after that shortlisted candidates had to go through the interview round.

     

    What kind of questions were you asked during the interview with LKS?

    In my interview fortunately I was not asked a single question on tax. Maximum part of my interview was based on my CV.  I was asked about my experience at the various firms I have interned earlier and based on my experience they asked about the work which I did in that internship. I was also asked certain questions on contract law apart from my CV. Other than that questions like why you are choosing tax, do you have any problem in relocating, will you be able to work in this organization for a long time etc were also asked. I was also asked about my experience at lecture series, was it beneficial or not and why was it beneficial.

     

    How do you think one should go about writing a CV when one is applying for a job?

    There is a saying first impression is the last impression and in case of applying for jobs, your CV is the thing that will create your first impression on the recruiters. Therefore, one should take utmost care while writing the CV. You can’t take a chance to mess up your CV. At the time of writing the CV you should keep in your mind that you have to answer the questions based on your CV so you should write only what you can answer. You should be aware of all the possible questions based on the things you have written in your CV. And if at the time of writing the CV you don’t know something properly then write that only if you are confident that you will be able to study that. Never write anything in your CV which you don’t know. You are bound to know everything written in the CV. So the most important thing for writing CV is write only those things which you know properly. Apart from this CV should not have any formatting or grammatical mistakes.

     

    Many law school students aspire to secure a job. What do you think most are doing wrong, from your observations?

    Every person has his/her own point of view and priorities in life. By God’s grace I have never faced such a situation. So sitting here and saying what wrong they are doing will not be appropriate. Everyone who is struggling is trying their best to secure a good job. What I can probably say is that may be going behind only a big shot corporate firm job and a good salary can be a problem. According to me, starting with even a new or small firm is no harm, may be if I would not have been lucky enough to get a job at L&S, I might also have taken a small law firm job. But as I said, I am no one to say that those law school students are doing something wrong. I firmly believe that each one of them will be trying their best to secure a job to suit their requirements.

     

    Lastly, what would be your message to our readers?

    To all the law school students I’ll say just enjoy your five years of law school as much as you can. You’ll never get that experience ever again in your life. Having said that, I’ll also say that take your studies, projects, internships, co-curricular activities seriously. You’ll realise its important when you start working. So party hard, work hard & just enjoy your law school life. You’ll miss it when you’ll start working.

  • Robin David, Equity Partner at Dua Associates on career in corporate litigation

    Robin David, Equity Partner at Dua Associates on career in corporate litigation

    Robin David is currently a Partner at Dua Associates, Delhi. He graduated in B.Sc from Loyola College and thereafter completed his LL.B from Bharathiar University in 1989. Right after his graduation he joined the Bar and had been independently litigating. His practice areas included Contracts, Company Law, Competition Law and other corporate matters.

    With an in-depth expertise in various corporate matters and prior experience of 12 years in litigation, Robin joined Dua in 2002 and had since been working there. With his formidable experience in litigation he was quickly elevated to the rank of a partner in 2004. In 2013, he was made an equity partner.

    We took this opportunity and requested him to share:

    • His experience of litigation as a fresh law graduate
    • Building reputation and clientele in litigation
    • The role of higher education in building an illustrious career
    • The journey from a law student to becoming a partner at one of the leading law firms in India

     

    How would you introduce yourself to our readers who are primarily budding lawyers? Did you belong to a family of lawyers?

    I am a practicing lawyer for about 25 years. Legal practice is a great and exciting challenge. The legal profession gives one the opportunity to learn and to adapt. Most importantly lawyers have a great opportunity to do justice. I believe that lawyers have a significant role to play in the justice delivery system. I am the first lawyer in my family.

     

    You are a B. Sc. (Physics) graduate from Loyola College. Could share with us any specific incident which motivated you to pursue law as a career?

    I initially wanted to study engineering or science. However, since my childhood my mother told me that I would make a good lawyer. She implanted and reinforced confidence in me. So I applied for law more out of [sociallocker]my faith in her belief. I qualified the entrance examination. After few years of practice I realised how right she was because this profession is definitely for me.

     

    Being a science graduate, did you face any difficulties in law school? A lot of students from science stream pursue law after their 12th and face a lot of difficulties in studying subjects related to law. Can you share with us certain tips to overcome this issue?

    I do not believe being a science graduate is a disadvantage to pursue legal studies. Nor do I think that students from arts/humanities will have a considerable edge over science students while studying law. The study of science encourages analytical thinking, which in my opinion is one of the vital ingredients for legal studies and practice. The most important phase of learning for a litigation lawyer is during the first few years in practice.

     

    robin-david-1Did you do any internship during the course of your studies? What kind of work did you come across during your internships?

    I did not have an opportunity to intern as a student. This was probably because there was no mandatory requirement to intern at that time.

    However, I believe internships today are important. Internships provide an opportunity for students to learn about the application of law and get insights into the legal profession. Interns will be well advised to take their internships seriously. Ideally, interns should be willing and open to learn and know more about legal practice.

     

    You were also in the cricket and hockey team of your college. How important is it for one to engage in other activities apart from academics and professional interests?

    I started paying cricket from the age of 2. I have always been interested in sports and sporting activities. I played a bit of cricket, hockey and table tennis during school and college. Now I play cricket for my firm. I play golf as well. I believe it is necessary to engage in sporting activities and activities apart from academics and professional work. Being physically fit is crucial. Lawyers would do well to invest time on fitness and physical well being.

     

    Did you ever think of joining the civil services after graduating? Which career options were available to a law graduate in 90s?

    Civil services did cross my mind albeit not seriously. As far as I can remember the openings/options available to young lawyers were mainly to:

    • work as a junior lawyer (with little or no pay)
    • to join as law officer in any organisation/bank
    • join civil services
    • go abroad for LLM or to study LLM in India

     

    When you started your practice in 1990, how was the court atmosphere? How did the judges respond to young and new lawyers like you? What were the major challenges faced by you in the initial years of your practice?

    The courts are much more crowded now. The first challenge was to decide where to start work. Another challenge was learning the court procedures and practical aspects of legal practice. I was fortunate to commence work in the Delhi High Court. All seniors and judges were generally encouraging and helpful. However, the process of learning procedural law and how to face the Court is something every practicing lawyer will have to figure out on their own. The legal community is based on the seniors wanting to teach and the younger members of the Bar being open to learn. The junior lawyers were always respectful to the seniors and the institution. I also faced financial challenges because I was initially given a small stipend but I believe that such hardships actually help and motivate aspiring lawyers to work harder and be better advocates.

     

    How did you build up your clientele? How many years of practice do you say it would require to build a firm clientele?

    I am not aware of a formula to build a clientele nor can you stipulate a time line. I do not believe there is a formula to build up clientele. However, I have learnt that building clientele requires hard work, honesty, time, result oriented thinking and several other factors. In my experience I have found that the clients trust honest and sincere counsel. Knowledgeable lawyers do have an edge, however they are expected to be sincere to the cause and be honest. Lawyers should build up a good reputation for themselves.

     

    You have experience in litigation of around 25 years. Can you share with us your experience as a practising lawyer?

    Lawyers are trustees of the legal system. A lawyer is responsible to act with integrity and maintain public confidence in the judicial system. To be a successful litigation lawyer one must belong to a court in addition to knowing the basics of law. Counsel must be aware about their court and keep themselves abreast of the changes and developments. Counsel must be involved in Bar Association and participate in the court and association activities. Counsel should contribute to court related activities such as legal aid, arbitration, mediation, etc. I have had the good fortune of working with some great lawyers. I have also been a lawyer for the Delhi High Court Legal Services Committee since 2008. Learning from watching and observing court proceedings is an essential part of being a good lawyer.

     

    As a practising lawyer how did you manage to learn the basics of court room practice? Did you have anyone to guide and mentor you during the initial days of your practise?

    No doubt one learns from the seniors and colleagues whom you work with. I leant a great deal from observing others and noticing the reactions from the judges.

    I believe a lawyer requires to have a mentor not only during the initial years of practice but also later on. Initially mentoring is done by seniors but later you have to become your own mentor. A very important aspect of legal practice is the ability to evaluate yourself. Even the Bar Council of India recommends mentoring and training by lawyers.

     

    If someone does not go to a top law school, would you say he still has a shot at a great career in law? What should such a person do to develop necessary skills and profile?

    Going to a top school per se does not make you a good lawyer. Honest effort and hard work make a good lawyer regardless of the school.

     

    How did you get an opportunity to work with Dua Associates? How is your work at Dua Associates different from your independent practice?

    I began my association with Dua Associates in 2002. At that time I put in about 12 years of hard work as a legal practitioner and was already known for my work as a litigating counsel.

     

    Having been at Dua Associates since 2002 as a manager in the litigation team, you were promoted into the equity partnership; what qualities do you think helped you to achieve this status?

    Though I joined as manager in 2002, I was made partner in 2004. I was made equity partner in 2013. It involved sincere hard work and time.

     

    When you hire interns under you, what kind of qualities do you look for? What should an intern do to get noticed in a positive way?

    Honesty, hard work and commitment to work are important qualities in interns. I see interns who are there only for the sake of putting it on their CV.

     

    What changes has being a partner brought into your life, do you ever feel that there is excess of work load on you? How do you manage to strike a balance between your personal and professional life?

    Ever since I have started work as an advocate I have put in many hours of work every day. Becoming partner did not have any significant change to my professional working style. Have realised the importance of team work and have the need to contribute to the larger cause. Law is a calling and not a job.

     

    Do you feel that great lawyering skills are sufficient for a person to become a partner? What separates the people who become partner from those who don’t?

    Partners’ skills should complement one another. Ideally, if one is good at business development then the other partner would be good in other set of skills. Further skills can be learnt. Though, in my opinion a law firm needs persons having different sets of skills. Partners are those with great sets of skills and also those who show commitment to the growth and development of the firm.

     

    Do you feel that higher education helps a person to have a successful legal career? What would be your word of advice to students who wish to go for higher studies?

    It would depend on what you are looking for. For an advocate, LL.B is sufficient because practical knowledge can only be gained on the ground.

     

    How is the work culture at Dua Associates? If an associate commits a mistake or an error what course of action do you follow as a partner?

    A partner is responsible. In Dua Associates the Partners are the team leaders and oversee the work of the team. For example, if a plaint is drafted for a client the draft would be carefully seen by a Partner before it is sent to the client.

    Associates who repeat mistakes or stop learning will at least be talked to.

     

    What qualities do you think one should possess to carve out a niche for himself in this field?

    I believe hard work, honesty and sincerity are important qualities. Always be ready and willing to learn. Additionally one must be aware of the system and surroundings.

     

    What would be your message to our readers who are budding lawyers and law students?

    • Justice is important. Lawyers have a great opportunity to play a role in the justice delivery system. Many prominent lawyers have played important roles and contributed to the Indian freedom struggle. Lawyers can have significant involvement in society and can set the standards. Legal practice is a calling and not a job.
    • Honesty and sincerity in counsel are traits that are always respected by the judges, clients, briefing counsel and even opposing counsel. A lawyer must conduct himself with dignity.
    • Building a good reputation is necessary. A lawyer should carefully guard his reputation.
    • A lawyer should always be conscious of his/her role as officers of the court.
    • Young court lawyers should read the briefs and be well prepared. Know your facts. I have seen many young lawyers who are in a hurry to go up the ladder and look for shortcuts to grow. There are no shortcuts.

     [/sociallocker]

  • Richa Parasher on securing a job from Amarchand and being an ideal student

    Richa Parasher on securing a job from Amarchand and being an ideal student

    Richa Parashar is one of the most diligent and illustrious scholars of the 2015 batch of NLIU, Bhopal. She has a noteworthy academic, mooting and debating record. Her diligence and mettle at work was recognized when she bagged a job offer from Amarchand & Mangaldas & Suresh A Shroff & Co., during campus placements. We asked her to share her experiences paths taken as a student over the years.

    In this interview, she tells us about:

    • Securing top-notch law firm internships
    • Her journey from an intern to getting job offer from AMSS
    • Importance of academics, internships, debates and moots

     

    Why and when did you decide to do law? What interested you most about the subject at the time?

    I decided to take up law when I was in class twelfth. I was fascinated by the diverse areas of practice and the fact that it’s one of the most dynamic fields. My uncle and my elder brother, who are also in the profession, were an influence as well.

     

    One can find it difficult to manage continuous evaluation through trimester exams, projects etc. in a law school. How did you manage to keep up your grades?

    Trimester system can get hectic, yes. There have been times when we’ve given exams just three weeks after we’d be done with the previous ones. But, the good thing is that the syllabus is never too expansive. I generally pay attention during classroom lectures and prepare notes regularly in order to maintain my grades.

     

    Your internships at law school have all been with top tier firms. Our readers would be quite curious to know how you went about securing these internships.

    I always applied for my internships well in advance and followed up regularly. It’s also important to keep your CV updated. Our university has a highly competent placement coordination committee which takes care of applications of registered candidates from third year onwards.

     

    Did you learn any skills while interning? What are these skills and how did you acquire them?

    Internships are probably one of the most enriching experiences that a law student goes through. Besides researching and drafting, I learnt time management and prioritising, which, I believe, hold equal value in our profession.

     

    What are the things you consider sine qua non for positive feedback from an internship?

    I think sincerity assumes importance over everything else. Besides that, one must be particular about the finer details like formatting, good presentation etc. These are things which can set you apart from the other interns.

     

    You have participated in various moot court competitions. Tell us how important is mooting and what effect does it have on one’s CV?

    Mooting is probably the most fun activity in a law school. It tests you on a number of skills like researching, drafting, arguing, keeping one’s cool under pressure etc. Every law student should moot at least once. Moot victories definitely add value to your CV. However, it doesn’t mean that if you don’t moot, you can’t have a good CV. There are lots of other things like grades, internships, paper publications, debates, mediation competitions that add up to a good CV.

     

    richa-parashar-1Recently, you bagged a job offer at AMSS. How did you go about achieving this?

    I have interned twice in AMSS. During both of these internships, I did my assignments sincerely. In my second internship, I prepared a corporate law PowerPoint presentation. In AMSS, the presentation holds a lot of weightage when it comes to recruitment. Therefore, it’s important to prepare it with diligently. For the interview stage, I brushed up my CV and basic concepts of corporate law, contracts etc.

     

    How was the experience of your AMSS internship and how was it different from other internships? Please tell us about the recruitment application process at AMSS?

    I had the finest experience in AMSS during my internships. Besides the excellent quality of work, I loved the atmosphere in the office. The seniors were really helpful and encouraging which is rare in the corporate world. For recruitment, one needs to fill out an extensive questionnaire. Apart from the CV, the interviewer may also ask questions based on what the candidate has written in the questionnaire.

     

    How did you go about preparing for your interview? What kinds of questions were asked to you?

    Honestly, one mustn’t frame their opinion about interviews based on what others tell them. The reason is that every interview is unique. You may be asked the most unusual and unconventional questions and must know how to keep your cool in such situations. However, be thorough with your CV, and basics of corporate law, contracts, property law, banking etc. I was asked questions based on my CV, general corporate law and a couple of HR questions as well.

     

    How do you think one should go about writing a CV when one is applying for a job?

    A CV should be crisp and accurate. One must ensure that there aren’t any blunders like incorrect spellings or dates. These things give the worst impression possible.

     

    There is a phenomenal obsession amongst law students with maintaining a very high CGPA. How important according to you is this in securing a job?

    Grades are extremely important in getting good placements. However, a number of other factors like internships, co-curricular and extra -curricular activities also add up. Therefore, one must try to be an all-rounder rather than just focusing on grades.

     

    If you could re-live your 5 years in Law school, is there something you would do differently?

    I’d visit the library more often. Also, I’d take part in more moots and utilize the trimesters optimally.

     

    Lastly, what would be your message to our readers?

    Try everything that you possibly can, in these five years – participate in competitions, write research papers, volunteer for events, go for fests. Explore all that your university has to offer. And that includes the gym! But, make sure that you maintain your grades.

  • Robin Quadros on handling corporate M&A, work at a litigation firm and a typical corporate workday

    Robin Quadros on handling corporate M&A, work at a litigation firm and a typical corporate workday

    Robin Quadros graduated from National Law Institute University, Bhopal in 2012.. He has thereafter worked at Rohit Das & Associates and MLS Vani & Associates. He is currently working as an Associate at Desai and Diwanji, Mumbai.

    We asked him to share his journey from being a law student to being a corporate lawyer.

     

    Given that most of our readers belong to the legal fraternity, how would you introduce yourself to them?

    Hello everyone. I am Robin Quadros. I was born and brought up in Mumbai and I have graduated from National Law Institute University, Bhopal in 2012. I am an Associate at Desai & Diwanji, Mumbai.

     

    How did you gravitate towards law? Why law and not engineering or medical studies?

    The thought in relation to a career in the legal industry was always fascinating. I believe that the work as an engineer or a doctor is a bit mechanical. The same kind of work is required to be performed almost every day. The degree of the problem may vary, but not the solution.

    I believe that everything or every action to be carried out from below the earth such as mining, oil exploration, etc. and everything above the earth including space is covered by laws. The work of a lawyer has more scope than working as an engineer or doctor, because an engineers and doctors are more or less restricted to their specialisation. I have always been keen on corporate law, which in itself is vast, yet I am not prevented or precluded from practicing in media law, space law, international law, taxation or any other field of law. Life as a lawyer is different every day. In case of litigation matters, all cases differ from each other. In case of corporate matters or transactions, the requirements of different clients vary. The fun part for the lawyer is that her/ his mind is always at work. This is the reason I had considered being a lawyer and had no other second thoughts. It is the most exciting career option for anyone.

     

    How would you describe your legal education? Did your legal education prepare you for the real world practice of law?

    Being a student in any National Law University is always difficult. There is always constant pressure due to the hectic schedule. The trimester system at NLIU, Bhopal made life a bit trickier. Every student has her/ his own way of working/ studying and so did I. I believe if a student’s mind is clear in terms of career options for the future, they can work/ study in a particular manner in order to achieve that goal. I was not a topper in my law school though I always believed that knowledge is power. I tried to keep abreast with current affairs as law is ever changing and hence along with regular college studies as a student, it is quintessential for a student to be updated with new laws or new interpretations of the existing laws.

    Life as a law student has surely helped me prepare for the “real world practice of law”. Every experience, whether good or bad, is a good “learning” experience and will always help me in my career. I would suggest that every law student should be ready to face as many difficult situations and challenges as possible. If you face a difficult or tricky challenge in future, the confidence to face it will flow from your past.

     

    As a law student which activities did you participate in?

    As a law student I was quite keen on mooting. I believe that mooting is the best manner to prepare a law student for the real life practice. Mooting hones the skills of the law student in research, drafting the memorial, arguing in front of the judges as well as being street smart and being quick on the feet. I have also presented few papers at conferences which assisted me in my drafting, research as well as presentation skills.

     

    robin-q-2Tell us about your law school journey from the 1st year till your final year. Did you have any guidance on how to go about your academics, co-curricular activities and internships?

    I did not take any guidance in terms of academics. Every student is different and so is their way and manner of working. A student must always follow the path which helps them the most. I decided to balance my academics with other interests such as extracurricular activities and internships. I always focussed on learning, be it academics or other activities. I would like to credit my seniors at NLIU for their guidance in terms of internships and co-curricular activities. I also had some close friends from other National Law Schools who would help, advice and guide me as and when required.

     

    What kind of internships did you do while you were a student? Any remarkable experiences during your internships that shaped your career choices later?

    I had interned at NGO’s, an LPO and various law firms. I decided to intern at NGO’s and an LPO solely with an intention to understand the kind of work carried out by such organisations. I had already decided on my career choices before joining NLIU, so the internships only assisted me in achieving my immediate career objectives.

    As I had already decided to work in a corporate law firm, I decided to have diverse work experience through my internships. Through my internship experiences I gained knowledge in banking, real estate, general corporate and project finance matters amongst others, which till date is helpful in some manner or the other. As I was a law student during the recession period in 2009, through my internship experiences I realised that I must gain experience in as many areas of practice as possible. For example, if the markets and economic situation of the country is weak, the amount of work received by the law firms in capital markets and securities and possibly the number of acquisitions in the country may be lower.

    The work at a law firm is largely dependent on the political and economic situation of the country. In a country like India, I believe that the focus of a lawyer may be on a particular practice area, but the lawyer must not shy away from other practice areas. In case of a bad economic situation in the country, the knowledge gained by the lawyer in other practice areas will help them survive till the markets are stable. This was something that I identified through my internships which according me was important.

     

    Did you find that your law school education had prepared you sufficiently for the many tasks you were required to execute during your internships and later at your job?

    Education always prepares you for the challenges in future. However, that is just the first step. Good education from a good law school is a stepping stone. One must never forget that law is ever evolving. The process of learning never stops. Law school education helped me prepare the basics. There are many new laws that are enacted. The courts also keep interpreting the existing laws which a lawyer is required to be aware of. My law school education played a major role in executing my work during internships.

    However, the work that I received at law firms during my job and the queries from clients were more complex and required much more research and analysis. It is always a different situation when you have to read a question and answer during exams as compared to advising a client in a litigation matter or a transaction. The advice given by the lawyer to the client should be good because one wrong piece of advice could affect the client in an adverse manner. The pressure faced by the lawyer in advising the client is much more than answering a question paper.

     

    How has your mooting experience been?

    To be honest, I will not term my mooting experience as “successful”, but personally, the experience has been “satisfying”. I believe that no one will have faith in you, if you do not have faith in yourself. I always liked to challenge myself where it has been possible and compete against others. I do feel sad and regret that I have not won a national moot and a best speaker award where it has been possible. I won the second best speaker in my first ever intra batch moot in my law school, which I will not consider as success, as there could have been more that I could have achieved in my mooting career.

    But mooting has instilled a lot of confidence within me and has helped me till date, including personal appearances in the Hon’ble Bombay High Court and especially in a particular case that was decided in my clients favour. Mooting has also helped me improve upon my research abilities in corporate and litigation matters. I would encourage every law student to moot at least once in their life.

    Everyone who participates in moots and takes up that challenge up front as a law student in their first year is always a winner. I have seen at least hundreds from various law schools who prepare for moots till the last moment and then back out. So everyone who participates is a winner in their own way, compared to those who back out due to low self-confidence.

     

    After graduating from NLIU you directly joined Rohit Das & Associates. How did the appointment take place?

    I had two internships at Rohit Das & Associates (“RDA Legal”). As RDA Legal at that time did not have an office in Mumbai, I had interned at RDA Legal, Bangalore in my 3rd year and RDA Legal, Kolkata in my 4th year. RDA Legal (then PXV & Partners) had visited the NLIU campus on “Day Zero” for recruitment but I could not sit for the placement due to personal problems. I had received an offer from a reputed litigation firm in Mumbai after graduation. As I was keen on corporate law, I spoke to Mr. Rohit Das over a call expressing my interest and intent to join RDA Legal. He decided to meet me and after a fruitful conversation during the meeting, I was offered a job by Mr. Rohit Das. Another good law firm in Mumbai had expressed their interest in recruiting me after I was offered a job at RDA Legal, which I declined due to strategic reasons.

     

    You left RDA and had joined MLS Vani & Associates. What prompted this switchover? Would you say that the work environment at MLS Vani was significantly different from RDA?

    This is a tricky question to answer. I had joined RDA legal as it was a start up and wished to be a part of RDA Legal’s growth as well as contribute towards the growth of the firm. However, there were certain administrative problems in the firm, which I do not wish to state now, due to which I could not continue in the firm any longer. The switchover was smooth and I am sure Mr. Rohit Das understood my actual reasons for resigning.

    The work environment at MLS Vani & Associates was way different from RDA Legal. I had joined a litigation firm from a corporate firm. I had to regularly appear in courts, had regular meetings with clients in office. I was responsible for whatever happened in the courts, so my personal responsibility and accountability in drafting as well as appearances was much more. MLS Vani & Associates was a much smaller firm in comparison to RDA Legal but was as professional as any other good law firm irrespective of the size. I was a part of some good matters in the banking and real estate area. The appearances in the courts was hectic but  fun, especially being part of the team against a few top tier law firms and working with a good litigation firm such as Dutt Menon & Dunmorrsett.

     

    You’ve recently joined Desai & Diwanji. What prompted this move?

    Though I had joined a litigation firm like MLS Vani & Associates, my interest was always to be a part of corporate transactional matters, especially Mergers & Acquisitions. After leaving RDA Legal and joining MLS Vani, I did miss being a part of M&A transactions and working on corporate matters. As Desai & Diwanji is one of the best law firms in terms of M&A and General Corporate it was not that difficult a decision to switch.

     

    How did you approach Desai & Diwanji for this job?

    Well, I did not have any contacts, so it was the normal procedure. The HR of Desai & Diwanji had always been honest in terms of requirements of the firm. I had called the HR a year back (in 2013) and she specifically informed me that the firm is looking out for a lawyer with litigation experience of at least 7 years. As I had an experience of only one year in general corporate, I obviously did not fit in to the requirements. I tried the same procedure in 2014. I called the HR and expressed my intention and interest to join Desai & Diwanji.

    The HR inquired about my work experience and informed me that a particular team was looking out for a lawyer with experience in litigation and corporate. The interview was scheduled with the concerned partner and after clearing the interview I was a part of this team at Desai & Diwanji. I currently handle 3-4 litigation matters and assist my team in corporate matters including legal opinions, due diligence and transactions such as M&A.

     

    How does your typical workday look like?

    I generally work from 9:30 am till around 9-10 pm average. The work atmosphere is really good. Being a part of a law firm with so many lawyers is always an advantage. Even if I work for 12 or 15 or 18 hours a day, I do not feel any physical or psychological exhaustion as the other associates in the firm always provide constant strength and support to each other. My suggestion to law students is that the work in a law firm is always hectic and you must choose it if you prefer that kind of work and feel you are made for it, but not just on the basis of money you will receive at the end of the month.

     

    Many young lawyers at corporate firms complain about the work being too exhausting, and that maintaining a work-life balance is just not possible. Could you share any advice on this?

    As you sow, so shall you reap. The efforts which I put in today will bear fruits tomorrow. Well, I have worked for even 15-18 hours a day, for quite a few continuous days in my short stint at Desai & Diwanji till date and even had a similar schedule at a previous job. This situation in relation to work hours is not only limited to Desai & Diwanji, as lawyers in other top law firms also work long hours continuously which at times extends to two or three days. I would love to learn, make mistakes (and learn), work hectic hours, as long as I achieve what I desire in life. Many young lawyers do complain.

    Working in a good law firm is not everyone’s piece of cake. I have been working crazy hours for a while, but I remove time for family, friends and loved ones. It may be a weekend or a late night. I always like to surprise my close ones and they do appreciate my efforts. Where there is a will, there is a way. If you enjoy your work and your close ones support you, life will always be easier. The lawyers who complain are probably in the wrong field or job. Work is about enjoying, not complaining. If a client requires a particular task to be completed within a particular time, it has to be completed. This is the situation existing at all top law firms. If you are having sleepless nights, so is your client! My simple advice is that, if you feel something is not right for you or not working out for you, you are probably at the wrong place!

     

    If you could re-live your 5 years in Law school, is there something you would do differently?

    I do miss my 5 years at NLIU, Bhopal dearly. It was never fast moving and hectic like my life in Mumbai. But life is all about how you live it. Bhopal was not as fast moving as Mumbai was, but I ensured that I made my 5 years at NLIU, Bhopal as fruitful as possible in my own way. I enjoyed and studied in my 5 years at NLIU, Bhopal, and I doubt I would do anything differently now. Life is all about balancing work and living.

     

    Where do you see yourself five years from now?

    Probably in a corporate law firm. Hopefully handling M&A and other corporate transactions and in a more responsible position.

     

    Lastly, what would be your message for our readers?

    I have noticed a lot of law students fear the efforts which go into the preparations for a moot. I would like to remind law students of the saying “Survival of the fittest”. Your loss is some other students gain. If you wish to be a lawyer, you should be prepared to take on all challenges that you come across. Mooting is the easiest of all those challenges you may face as a lawyer and in your life. It is not always about winning. As I stated above, every experience will help, whether good or bad.

    Another message, for law students or young lawyers, irrespective, is that many try to seek jobs in “top tier law firms”, whether for status or money but being blank or unaware about their area of interest. Identify your area of interest. I have asked many final year law students on their future plans, with the answer being “Let’s see. I am trying at all top tier law firms.” When I ask them their area of interest and their reason to apply at that “top tier law firm”, I get a blank reply. I have also come across many law students and lawyers depressed that they did not make it to a top tier law firm. If you do not get your desired job today, prepare yourself in such a manner that you might get it tomorrow. Some lawyers who make it to a top tier law firm complain about work-life balance and how difficult life is! There are many boutique firms practicing in specific practice areas, some paying as high as or higher than top tier law firms, considering that the lawyer is worth the price. Experimentation is fine during internships, but experimenting jobs is not cool! You may lie to the whole world, but you can never lie to yourself. Choose your career wisely at the appropriate time. Making it to a top tier law firm is not bad, but only if you feel you can handle it and if that is what you desire.

    I think I will end with an appropriate dialogue from the movie 3-Idiots for current law students. As many seem to have forgotten it, I quote, “Do not run behind success, but try to achieve excellence. Success will be achieved through excellence”.

  • Manish Raj on work at Coal India Ltd., being AIR 4 in the UPSC Company Prosecutor exam

    Manish Raj on work at Coal India Ltd., being AIR 4 in the UPSC Company Prosecutor exam

    Manish Raj, graduated from NLIU, Bhopal in 2009. Thereafter, he worked at Coal India Ltd. in various capacities. Recently, he secured AIR 4 in the exam conducted by UPSC for the posts of Company Prosecutors in the Ministry of Corporate Affairs.

    In this interview he talks about:

    • Working at a PSU: Coal India Ltd.
    • Clearing the UPSC exam for Company Prosecutors

     

    Tell us a bit about yourself as an introduction. Do you come from a family of lawyers?

    Firstly, your team is doing a fantastic job of gathering such imperative information of experiences in the field of law that could play a great role in budding grads life. Congratulations!!

    I am a 2009 batch graduate from National Law Institute University; thereafter I worked with Coal India Ltd. (A Govt. Undertaking) at various capacities starting from Management Trainee to Assistant Manager (Legal). Recently cleared the exam conducted by the Union Public Service Commission, so just waiting to resume my services with Ministry of Corporate Affairs, Govt. of India.

    No, miles away, I am a first person in my family who did this intentional gaffe of taking up law as a profession rest all and relatives remained associated with Railway Services, entrepreneurs (Construction firms) and Administrative Services.

     

    What got you into legal studies? Was it all planned or something that just happened by chance?

    Lived a very independent life in this regard, abhorrent to many my parents always said to justify your life as per your age and as a son. Getting into law was my independent decision for the reason that I had this bend towards humanities, writing and others. Being a Mathematics student in 12th grade really helped me a lot to think about what I definitely not want to be…

    No, I knew about the National law schools in those days and seriously took the entrance exam of NLIU along with other exams for different law schools.

     

    How was your experience at NLIU? What activities were you involved in apart from the regular academic curriculum?

    Being the hosteller at NLIU, the very first thing it taught me was to always fill the mug before you use the washroom, hilarious for many but embarrassing to some and still at times it makes me think about the balancing act of all those creatures(from other clusters) whose pug marks left imprinted on the lid.

    Well, when I have joined the NLIU it was at the apex of its transition phase, everything was yet to take a shape, so be it roads, library, gol chakkar, new teachers replacing old teachers and Canteen(though temporarily built of jute but I think it was better than the new one in the campus).

    Not an exception, it was a roller-coaster ride for me at NLIU that made me to meet the good, bad and hilarious hundred shades of grey, black and white at one place. I totally agree that time flies at NLIU, 5 years seems a moment.

    Extricating in nature, late night hobnobs at boy’s hostel, bakar at gol chakkar, road roller (doubt if some still remember about it), kallu/hemraj ki tapri, mindora, library(outside it or serene view from roof top) and others primarily remained the sites where I remained actively involved in all those highly brainstorming sessions and other societal activities. Apart from it the remaining time was being utilized for paper publications, moot courts, gym, seminars/conferences and sports too.

     

    Manish Raj

    What were your major interests as a student of law? Any suggestions for the law students on how to deal with Pandora box of laws?

    Our course curriculum is such that one remains student of both law and humanities and I remained no exception to it. My interest as a law student lied somewhere in mid of both i.e. if constitutional law than political science and administrative law too and later the contemporary socio-legal issues, henceforth the fragments from all the subjects has helped me a lot to knit something of my interest. It may seem to be an agrestic approach but with time it takes a shape to help you in profession as well as a social being.

    Reading those law books fills one with the fake sense of power and thinking oneself to be intellectually superior to others, alas the execution part of it is way different by methods and means. Consequently I think being a law student think logically, keep prime focus on your concepts of law while reading and keep yourself at bay from those great great intellectual bakar.

     

    How should one go about the internships? How important it is for a law student to plan out the course of his internships to successfully gain from the internship experience?

    Internships are the best time to explore not about the place where you intern but about yourself in a manner that what you really not want to be. Therefore trepidations or learning from others experience is not a wise act, be your experience, explore all possible job sites; law firms, FMCGs, various Adjudicating bodies, commissions and others only then decide what you really want to be in the future.

    Internships should not become the process of collecting tags/brands to make your resume look marvellous; therefore I think from 3rd year (9th trimester) onwards start fixing your steps in one direction (internship at one place) based on self hand experience of the past internships. I hope one could achieve so much than only the experience certificate.

     

    You have published a lot of papers in various prestigious journals. How should one go about writing papers and getting the same published? Can you give us a few tips to ace the art of paper writing?

    Indeed yes, from Company law journal to Harvard Law journal and still continuing with last one in The Hindu (Newspaper). I should not suggest anyone to jump in without interest or just for the sake of writing; it’s an engaging process that seeks patience and persistence to write and get it published.

    I think desirous among many may start with contemporary issues, read a lot from various sources, search for some legal clue in it to effectively justify your profession too, start writing, fit it in various pigeon hole of formats by the publishers, send it and wash your hands of with it. The most quintessential is to read and analyze the already published work of others.

     

    Tell us how has paper publishing and other co-curricular activities helped you in acquiring skills that are important for a successful legal career?

    I am not hubris a person if I say that good paper publishing is followed by appreciation and eulogized by many. Not much co-curricular activities I remained active in, the one I found myself around were writing, paper presentations at conferences/seminars, member of different cells, moot courts and others, indeed all these activities helped in evolving drafting, presenting, and fabricating(is a skill) skills in me.

     

    After graduating from NLIU you had worked at Coal India Ltd. (A Govt. Undertaking) for a considerably long time. How was your experience being part of a PSU?

    Yes, I have started working as an Executive officer (legal) and worked last on Asst. Manager (legal) position. Interestingly, during my later half I was posted at Dhanbad office and at the same time Anurag Kashyap was working on Gangs of Wasseypur project at Katras mines (Area office of BCCL, Dhanbad) and National Geographic India on some energy project at Jharia mines(Area office of BCCL, Dhanbad) so enjoyed resolving some legal query qua sites.

    Abhorrently, it remained challenging to work with a Public Sector for the reason that the laws qua Energy sector are very different and takes time to get accustomed. Apart from the legal skills, managerial, administrative skills and quick decision taking skills are tested time and again. The biggest challenge is not to manage your top slots but to get your work done by the subordinates (especially of your father’s age) and breaking the speed of file moment that remarks of Colonial era legacy.

    Major area of work remained of compliance of law at various legal forums, personnel and administrative tasks, international contracts (JVs and others) for various purposes, Land Acquisition, Arbitration, FSA ongoing Coal Blocks issue and others.

     

    How helpful do you think CGPA is when it comes to getting recruited?

    CGPA helps in getting shortlisted at least during the Campus placements, so I think it’s important to maintain a decent B+ (65% or more) score/grade. As we know even in Govt. job and private jobs they have percentage fixed as minimum eligibility.

    Let me tell all those students (mediocre) who study hard and fetch no good marks that keep your basics (concepts of law) brushed and don’t worry about the job, it will follow you. I repeat-only those who study hard and not score well in the exams.

     

    What is the importance of CGPA for law students especially for UPSC exams? Does it make any difference during the interview?

    Just fulfil the minimum criteria of percentage as reiterated in the notification for vacancies that’s it. No, Union Public Service Commission as we know is a constitutional body wherein during interviews College name, medium of education, social background and other things have been given no heed(I think) and remains neutral for all to bring out perfect equality and harmony. Quintessentially a law degree from National Law School remains at par with a law degree from any other regional college.

     

    You have recently secured AIR 4 in the exam conducted by UPSC for the post of Company Prosecutor, Ministry of Corporate Affairs, Government of India. How did go about achieving this?

    At present there are only 30 posts of Company Prosecutors with MCA in India, out of which for the vacant 13 post this recruitment drive was initiated by the UPSC. It was little shocking at first for me to get selected for the said post apparently that much more qualified candidates and senior in age had left me cold feet during the interviews at the UPSC Bhawan.

     

    Tell us about the application procedure. What all qualities did you think helped you to crack this exam?

    The exam was conducted by the UPSC, New Delhi wherein they had floated the notification containing the relevant information qua post. I think the basic understanding of law, past job experience, and my grounded approach to the issues/questions have helped me to crack it.

     

    Tell us about your interview? What kinds of questions were asked by the interview board?

    Interview was held at UPSC, Bhawan, it was Prof. David R. Syiemlieh’s (member of UPSC) board along with four members, it was started with discussing about BRICS Bank and its effect on India and World trade and ended with asking about the days at NLIU. It took 30-35 minutes (approx) wherein except one all four members remained active in asking/raising questions. I kept myself at distance from wild guesses wherever I had no answers and justified whatever was mentioned in the form, at the end perhaps favored me.

    It was different from the conventional interviews of checking your data storage capacity; it was more or less based on discussing practical problems related to social issues, legal concern, corporate laws and solutions to it/them.

     

    What are the prospects of being Company Prosecutor with Ministry of Corporate Affairs and how law students at NLIU may get benefitted from your experience?

    Even I am waiting to resume my services with the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, so I don’t know much about the prospects except that it’s a Ministerial and Gazetted post with Govt. of India. Being Ministerial in nature it seems that primarily the work will inter-alia deals with National and International Corporate Laws, Policy and important trans-boundary papers drafting, preparing answers to the questions raised at Loksabha/Rajyasabha, representing ministry at various legal forums, legal opinions and working with Secretaries, officers and Group of Ministers appointed for special tasks.

    Let me join first, I can just assure at this juncture about the appropriate commitments from my side in the near future to the law students.

     

    What would be your message for law students who are preparing or planning to prepare to appear for the Company Prosecutor?

    Well, I shouldn’t suggest anyone to prepare for this post separately for the reason that posts are so less in number and since post qualification experience is one of the essential qualification for the job.

    However, keep yourself updated with the latest changes in Corporate Laws. For detailed information qua subjects one can collect the same from Ministry of Corporate Affairs, GOI website.

     

    Lastly, some dos and donts for the law students based on your past experiences in the legal field and at NLIU?

    Being a student at law school one gets to meet people from all walks of life, I too remained fortunate when it comes to batch-mates, seniors and juniors. Five years is a moment, therefore I would only suggest utilizing maximum out of the moment. Always try to utilize first 15 days of the trimesters be it for trips, hanging around, extra-curricular activities but don’t sit idle at hostel/home. Before turning pages from those bulky Volumes in library go through some general book (may be of CLA Publication) to clear your concepts first. And lastly, never throw those empty bottles from the roof top of the hostel on the road thinking that it will hit targeted lamp post at gol-chakkar.

     

  • Rakhi Mohanty on Masters in Commercial Law from LSE, litigation at Supreme Court and academic research

    Rakhi Mohanty on Masters in Commercial Law from LSE, litigation at Supreme Court and academic research

    Rakhi Mohanty graduated with a B.A.LLB (Hons) degree from NLIU, Bhopal in 2010.She then went on to litigate in the Supreme Court and later worked with a law firm based in Delhi. She is currently pursuing her Masters in Commercial Law from the London School of Economics.

    In this interview, Rakhi talks about:

    • How to choose internships while in law school
    • Litigation in India and its future
    • Pursuing LLM’s in avant-garde institutions and gruelling academic schedules
    • Academic research in foreign universities

     

    Please introduce yourself to the readers. Tell us a little about your childhood and your background.

    My name is Rakhi Mohanty and I recently completed my Masters at the London School of Economics and Political Science in Commercial Laws. I am an alumni of National Law Institute University. I come from Bhubaneswar where my father is a succesful enterpreneur and my mother has taken the daunting task of looking after the family and holding us all together. Given the lack of all-round facilities in schools at Bhubaneswar,  in terms of extra-curricular activities, sports etc which are essential for a healthy childhood thanks to my parents,  took the decision to give my sister and me an opportunity to study at one of the best boarding  schools of the country, the Lawrence School, Lovedale, which was our first step to leading independent lives as individuals. My younger sister who has recently completed her Masters at Oxford University.

     

    When did you decide to take up law as a career? Tell us something about your college life. Being a law student, were you only focused on academics? How was the academic pressure?

    I once had an ex-student visit my school and give a talk on the career attributes of the legal profession and that is very time since when my fixation with the area begun. I was completely taken in by the eloquent manner and by the comprehensive and persuasive power of the speech. As I grew up and kept myself more updated with the day-to-day news from over the world over, I noticed a common pattern of most of the prominent leaders and personalities over the world sharing a common factor of law between them. I would be lying if I say that the John Grisham novels, in their glamorous projection of lawyers, did not play a major role in my decision-making. Luckily for me, I had the privilege of committing to the career at a time of National Law Schools and law firms, which were offering some of the most promising remunerations making it one of the most rewarding professions. By the time I set my foot into the professional arena,  career in law had begun to being considered as one of the most promising careers for a young individual looking for a dynamic and successful life. NLIU provided me with the much needed break in terms of a rigorous five year program which helps a student get a taste of the various subjects that law as a discpline has to offer. We had a trimester system which kept us on our toes as we had exams and project presentations every few months. Having said that, NLIU provided a student with a wide arena of extra curriculars as well which would help one in an all round development as a professional.

     

    You’ve interned at think-tanks like the Citizen Consumer and Civic Action Group. How instrumental were these internships in helping you decide what field of law you wished to specialize in?

    I think the think tanks that I did intern for, provided me with an opportunity to see aspects of life, not necessarily as a lawyer but as a a citizen, working for the betterment and efficency of the society that we live in. To be entirely honest, I enjoyed my work thoroughly and saw a side to law which requires an amount of sheer grid and determination to go on working effortlessly for the cause of others and for social well-being. They provided me with a wide area of subjects to work under such as environmental law, constitutional law etc. Having said that, as a lawyer, I feel, that one needs to find their specific area of interest to which they are willing to dedicate the next 40-50 years of their lives, working 13-14 hours each day. I found my calling in commercial laws and I am glad that before I branched out to this specific area, I got an opportunity to work and get a gist of the different branches of law, which I may never again get an opportunity to work in from here on.

     

    After your graduation, you worked in the Supreme Court. What is the reality of litigation in India? Do you think that the effort that is put into litigation does see fruition in all cases or the field of litigation is an overrated career option?

    To be honest, working in the Supreme Court first as a law clerk and then as a lawyer was one of the most defining moments of my career. I got to see the law being exercised from both sides, from the bench and from the other end, the bar. At one point of time I got to work on various judgments and be a part of the evolution of the law and later on, as a lawyer, I was working on the arguments for a case to be presented before the court. Having been asked about litigation, I would be able to explain litigation if I draw an analogy by saying that lttigation is more like running a long distance marathon. It happens at a slower pace, one needs to build up a momentum and gather the stamina, the more one practises the better they get at it and it takes a while to reach the finishing line but there is nothing quite like it. If somebody wants to litigate and feel passionately for it, they should be ready to put in the required dedication for a certain period of time and avoid feeling let down by minor setbacks. However, I think the legal profession demands one’s full time and undeterred time and attention to succeed and to be right at the top. The reality of litigation in India can be very disappointing at times, but to be honest, there is quite a high when you get argue before a bench or are applauded by the bench for presenting a case well or finishing a matter by yourself. However, I personally feel that it could only happen if one pursues something which they feel passionately for and do not feel the heat of long hours and that of a strenuous work life. I tend to be quite impatient as a person and get easily hassled by long bureaucratic processes and felt that I would not be good at litigation. I needed to find something which I could take forward and feel passionately about and that happened for me in the form of competition law.

     

    You completed your Masters from the London School of Economics. At what point did you decide to pursue your Masters? What was your motivation?

    I had decided from the very beginning that I would pursue my Masters after putting in a couple of years of work so as to be able decide as to what I want to specialise in. I stuck to my plan and after having worked for one year in the Supreme Court and then for another two years as a litigating lawyer, I decided to apply for my Masters and pursue a degree in Commercial Laws. The motivation was excellence. I did not want to slip into mediocricy and that could have only happened if I had the clarity and knowledge, which could be acquired with a Masters program.

     

    How different is the style of teaching at LSE? Do they focus more on the practical aspects of the law as compared to the NLUs?

    The teaching at LSE was extremely different from that what I had experienced at NLIU. At LSE, the students are expected to finish their readings, research and be well-prepared before a class. During the class, one is expected to voice your opinion and it is more of a discussion and sharing of opinions between the professors and the students instead of a scenario where professors are expected to spoon feed the students. In my opinion, the teaching methodolgy in the universities abroad is far superior to what we have in India as one is compelled to think out of the box, start training their mind as a professional and most importantly, it teaches you to be responsible towards your degree. The whole point of such a methodolgy of teaching is to make sure that students not only study the law as a subject but in the process learn its applications and be able to clear their notions on its implications. Having said that, one cannot forget that the degree that I attained at NLIU was an undergraduate one, which introduced me to the profession, whereas, I entered LSE as a professional, attaining a Masters degree and in the process had to a certain stature and sophistication to my work. It is only fair as to at which point, which university expected what level of work from me.

     

    How did you choose LSE over other colleges? What was the decisive factor?

    I liked the LL.M program that LSE had to offer and the wide array of subjects to choose from. What not a lot of people are aware of is that the LL.M program at the LSE is one of the intensive and prestigious programs that the University has to offer. Further, LSE offers you that one opportunity to experience life in London, the epicentre of world economy and commercial laws. I think what a lot of people do not understand is that Masters is not just about the course you study but should have the ability to  motivate, make you push your limits and not only change your perception of your life but also be a game-changer for your career. LSE and London did just that for me.

     

    What is your view on the latest trend among law students to pursue Masters abroad? How much of a brain drain do you think this is?

    In my opinion, pursuing one’s Maters abroad is not a brain drain at all. Pursuing Masters abroad gives a student a much wider perspective of the world at large and provides the much needed incites to bring in a certain level of sophistication to their work and thought process which could be put to much better use even if one decides to head back home and pursue their career in India. I feel Masters abroad is only as much a brain drain as it would be in various scenarios where lawyers working in India decide to settle abroad at some point of time in their lives for various miscellaneous reasons.

     

    In your opinion, do you think the NLU’s are conducive to academic research on a level that law schools abroad are? What is the future of NLUs?

    I feel that the compulsory requirement for academic research, which is in form of projects etc, that is being conducted by the NLUs is more of a technicality on paper rather than it being something which is actually effective and productive. I think we need to contemplate the level/standard of academic research that is being produced in the NLUs . In my experience abroad, the research work is taken extremely seriously whereby each student is appointed a supervisor who guides and provides incites into the research over the span of time so as to be able to produce something substantial and at the same time mentors the student for better research and drafting skills in terms of academic writing which leads to more international publications and referencing. In my opinion, NLUs need to put in more thought when it comes to academic research when it comes to competing with the world class universities abroad.

     

    What are your plans after completing your Masters?

    I intend to work in a reputed Competition Law/Antitrust team. I am currently exploring job opportunities in Europe as well India and given the global nature of the subject, I intend to appear for the QLTS or NY Bar exams in the due course of time so as to be able to have a multi-jurisdictional advantage to be able to make my mark as a Competition Law expert across the globe.

     

    For the benefit of the law students, kindly share some experiences of starting up with a law firm. Students are trying to gather various internship experiences at different places. Do you think internships help a law student?

    I think internships are extremely important when one is pursuing their LL.B. However, what I have learnt from my experience is that, it isn’t important to intern in various number of places but to pick one place which one feels is the best choice for them and to intern there a number of times so as to be able to exhibit their skills in that particular organization. When the time comes for recruitment, a firm or organization tends to prioritise a former intern or recalls that person’s good work over a completely fresh face. I would advice that handpick a couple of places and try to put in your best work there so that the organization either offers you a PPO or prioritises your joining in campus placements. The students should be aware of the reality that working in a law firm is not the easiest ways of life. One would be required to put in their complete time and dedication so as to be able to make a mark in a workplace.

     

    What would be your parting message to the law students?

    I would urge all budding law students to think out of the box and have the conviction to stand by their career choices, be it being that of a corporate lawyer or that of an environmentalist. We are living in a time and age when doing anything can bring you success, provided you excel in it. It is important the future talent prioritises excellence over being a part of mediocrity.

  • Rwitwika Bhattacharya on work at the World Bank, authoring books and founding Swaniti

    Rwitwika Bhattacharya on work at the World Bank, authoring books and founding Swaniti

    rwitwika-bhattacharya-1Ms. Rwitwika Bhattacharya graduated from Harvard University, Kennedy School of Government. She has previously worked as an Associate at the World Bank and is the founder and currently the CEO of the Swaniti Initiative, a non-profit that delivers development solutions to elected officials in India.

    In this interview, we asked her about:

    • working with the World Bank;
    • authoring two books;
    • her work through the Swaniti Initiative; and
    • the involvement of lawyers in her start-up organization.

     

    Could you please introduce yourself, professionally and academically, to our readers?

    I am the Founder and CEO of Swaniti Initiative, a non profit that delivers development solutions to Members of Parliament in India. Our goal is to provide them with either knowledge insight or implementation support on development issues. Prior to Swaniti, I was working at the World Bank and UNFPA. I have a Master’s in Public Policy from Harvard and Bachelor’s in political science and economics from Wake Forest University.

     

    You have considerable exposure when it comes to working at the World Bank. How was your experience of working at the World Bank? What was your area of work there? Was there any particular reason for your deciding to leave?

    The World Bank is a phenomenal place to work and I was very fortunate to have gotten this opportunity. The reason that the World Bank is so great because you are surrounded by problem solvers who are academics and practitioners, working on complex issues. To be a part of an environment where you find such driven people, you begin to also focus on understanding potential ways to solve problem. My area of work was labor economics and I ended up doing a lot of research work on job creation. I was lucky enough to co-author two books during my time at the Bank. The reason I left the Bank was because I was passionate about working on governance and polity in India. When I saw there were no such organizations within the World Bank, or even in India, I started one.

     

    You have co-authored two books during your stint at the World Bank. Can you elaborate on the two books written by you?

    Sure. My first book was on Frontiers in Development Policy where I had written a chapter on political economy and development. Basically the chapter focuses on seeing how politics can be a catalyst in bringing development. We looked in to the Mauritius case study where we saw how a focused political leadership was keen on revamping the economic system and how this completely transformed the economy. My second book was ‘A Primer on Labor Policies’ and this looks in to the complexity of job creation. You see, job creation is not the result of one thing going the right way but of many things working out together: a strong education system, solid infrastructure, access to capital and stable government are few of the many things.

     

    One of your books ‘Frontiers in Development Policy’ looks to foster discussion amongst policy makers on growth and development. Would you say this is possible and if yes, to what extent? How far do you think the insights provided by you in your book have been incorporated?

    Absolutely! Even the smallest decisions by our policy makers have an exponential effect on development and growth. Let me give you a substative example: on Gandhi Jayanti we saw the Prime Minister pick up a broom. It was a phenomenal example because the ripple effect was almost every single one of my friends also picking up a broom and taking the oath to keep their city clean. Now, this is illustrative of how even the smallest step by senior policy makers can transform communities.

     

    You are currently the CEO of the Swaniti Initiative, an initiative of which you are the founding member. How did you come about setting-up this Initiative? Why did you feel the need to do so?

    Back in 2009, when elections were taking place in India, my friends are I started thinking about the electoral process. During our conversation we realized that even though so many of us were keen to contribute to strengthening governance in India, there were too few channels of entry for young Indians to work with elected officials in supporting them in supporting them in governance. This was ironic because independently some of us (including myself) had worked with elected officially, specifically MPs and Ministers, to realize that there was a strong demand to have a demand for knowledge and human capital from the side of the elected official. Then it was only natural realizing that there is a demand and there is a supply so why not connect them. Thus Swaniti was founded. We launched our first pilot in 2009 and since then we have continued to grow.

     

    Could you elaborate on the kind of work you are involved in through this Initiative?

    We are focused on providing two kinds of support to Parliamentarians and elected officials:

    a) knowledge insights on key developmental programs and/or

    b) on the ground implementation support.

    On Knowledge Insight we distribute a series of knowledge products like briefs on government schemes, insights on innovative projects and updates on developmental progress.Additionally we also connect with MPs through one-on-one meetings to provide them with insights on specific knowledge queries they might have (for example we have MPs who are keen to know about specific government programs). ‘On the ground implementation’ consists of programs where we travel to the constituency to study a problem and provide solutions to them. Our goal here is to not just provide solutions but also help implement them.

     

    Keeping in mind the administrator : people ratio, do you think that the high difference in the ratio is the main problem leading to all the developmental problems or are they other factors that contribute to the problems India is facing?

    If we were to solve any problem we would see if the bottleneck is in terms of financial resources, human capital or lack of ideas. In India’s case, it’s not that we are a poor country (look at the size of India’s budget and the amount provided in grants and aid by international and domestic agencies) and we certainly don’t have a dearth of innovative ideas. The issue comes in implementing these ideas and programs and this is primarily because we have lack of implementors. There are very few government officials and those who are there are overburdened. How do we strengthen the system in this case? We see MPs and elected officials are a rung of government who are keen to bring ground level change, however they lack either the knowledge or the human capital support. Thus, we work on providing both.

     

    In what manner are the education levels, of elected representatives and people, and poverty factoring in the development process?

    India is in a state of flux. Are citizens are getting more educated and exposed to development, their expectations from elected officials are also increasing. Subsequently the delivery of goods and services from MPs and MLAs is also needing to increase. I think the Modi-wave in the last election is indicative of how people’s voting behavior is changing: very few people would have predicted so many people voting for a focused policy change.

     

    The Swaniti Initiative provides opportunities to work with MPs and MLAs. Have the people, who have applied, been from a diverse array of vocations or there is some concentration from a few particular fields?

    Yes, we have had people ranging from architecture to business to law work with us. We are particularly excited when we see lawyers because they have a keen understanding of policy issues and a linear way of thinking. Some of our stellars Fellows have been lawyers.

     

    In your opinion, what is the kind of experience lawyers would be exposed to if associated with the Swaniti Initiative?

    We are currently looking for Fellows and research associates within Swaniti. For lawyers working with us we can assure you an opportunity to work not just from a policy research perspective but also to interact with policy makers and explore how programs get implemented on a ground level. For those looking to work at the nexus of research and program implementation, Swaniti is the place to be!

     

    What are the different ways in which lawyers can contribute to the Swaniti Initiative? Can the opportunities provided be said to be challenging for lawyers?

    Yes. We have an incredible team and we are proud of our team members. We feel like that the work and the company will be rewarding for incoming lawyers.

     

    Lastly, what would be your message to law students and young lawyers who want to pursue a career in the entrepreneurship or their own start-up?

    I would say that the hardest decision for any individual seeking to be an entrepreneur is to take the ‘plunge’ and begin something. We are often nervous about prospective failures and therefore vulnerable to steering away from entrepreneurship. However, I can tell you from personal experience that starting something by yourself is one of the most rewarding things you could do! So just take the dive, head first.